A Bengaluru court on Monday has granted an interim stay on the distribution and sale of a book on Tipu Sultan, which allegedly contains derogatory remarks against the ruler of the erstwhile Mysuru Kingdom, including the Muslims.
On Tuesday, Additional City Civil and Sessions court issued the temporary injunction restraining the author, publisher Ayodhya Publication and printer Rashtrotthana Mudranalaya from selling the book titled ‘Tipu Nija Kanasugalu’ (Real Dreams of Tipu) and written by Rangayana director Addanda C Cariappa, till December 3.
Former Chairman of the District Wakf Board Committee, BS Rafiulla, filed the suit claiming that the book contains wrong information on Tipu without any support or justification from history.
Submitting that the word “turukaru” used in the book is a derogatory remark against the Muslim community, he contended that the publication of the book would cause “unrest and communal disharmony, disturbing the public peace at large.”
“If the contents of the play are false and it contains false information about Tipu Sultan, and if the same are distributed, it would cause irreparable loss to the plaintiff and there are chances of breach of communal peace and harmony and there is a danger to the public peace. If the book is circulated pending appearance of the defendants, the purpose of the application itself would be defeated. It is common knowledge that the controversial books sell like hot cakes. Therefore, at this stage the balance of convenience is in favour of the plaintiff in granting the order of injunction,” the court ordered.
The court issued emergent notices to the three respondents and adjourned the hearing of the matter to December 3.
However, the court said the defendants are at liberty to print the books at their risk and storing the books which are already printed.
Earlier, muslim groups had staged protest against the book.
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Rabia Shireen is a Staff Reporter at The Cognate.
